Originally posted by Jerry Entin After looking at SCCA magazines of the day. It is felt that the race track and the event in the picture on post#10 can be identified as the April 20, 1958 SCCA National at Marlboro, where both George Reed in the white #95 Ferrari 375 Plus and Duncan Black in the red #4 Ferrari 375MM were entered for the feature called the President's Cup. Duncan Black was 5th overall and George Reed came in 11th overall.However, Carl Haas's name, or the #26, do not show up in any of the complete results and it is likely that the white Porsche actually carried #126. This would have made it the Porsche of Bruce Jennings, later a Chaparral team driver.An interesting side note to this race: the big bore production race for the Lavender Hill Mob Trophy, won by Fred Windridge in a 1957 Corvette, featured an early apperance by Roger Penske. Penske retired at the wheel of his Corvette.All research Willem Oosthoek.

If that is Marlboro, then the shot is looking back at the start/finish line, which would be about where the people are standing and the car is entering the track. It could not be the back straight, because the large bleachers were on the front straight only. Any bleachers on teh back straight of the oval would have stood on the road course. Assuming it is the front straight, the track would have gone off to photographers left, so why the grid markings on the unused part of the track? False grid?

Here is the field going through turn 1 of the Marlboro President's Cup race, led by the Cunningham team cars.Walt Hansgen in the Lister/Jag, Eddie Crawford in the D-Type Jag, Bark Henry in the 300S Maserati owned by Mrs. Boden, Don Sessler in his Porsche 550RS, Bob Holbert in his Porsche 550RS, Duncan Black, and on the outside, Jim Robinson and his D-Type Jag, Gus Andrey in Ferrari 500TR. George Reed in his Ferrari.all research Willem Oosthoek.- photo lent site Willem Oosthoek.

Allan Ross and John Miller along side Allan Ross's immaculately prepared Lola. Richard Macon said that John Miller told him that after every race you should clean the entire car "Like your eating utensils, only cleaner." Allan Ross's Lola looks like that is what John Miller did to it. Gerald Swan the webmaster of the Lola site has told me that Alan Ross was the original U.S. Importer of Eric Broadley's Lola cars.photo lent site Richard Macon

Postcard for George Reed's Goodyear tire dealership in the mid 60's. Showing premises in Homewood, Illinois. This was front of the postcard.Advertisement for tires avaliable. This was back of cardpostcard from Jack Wilkening collection.

Jerry, Ken Hutchison was one of George Reeds drivers and worked part time as the RRR sales manager. Ken drove many races for Reed at Elkhart Lake in the TdeF and TR. Ken has related many stories about Reed to me years ago when he lived in the Chicago area. Jim

Hal Ulrich in drivers seat of Ferrari and Jim Riff looking in. This is believed to be one of the ex Reed's Rats cars.In background is Ken Hutchison. This picture was taken in 1988. Here is what Jim Riff remembers about this outing."On the day the photo was taken (May 1988), we had a FCA garage tour there. I could not get the Monza started, owing to the 4 barrel Webers and mags it was not easy. Ulrich arrived and said they had the same problem in Cuba, but he still remembers how he did it back then. He slipped into the drivers seat and said, "Jim, 1/4 inch of throttle, no more no less". He flipped on the mag switch, pressed the pedal 1/4 inch - and it fired instantly! The sound of the comp motor forced all in the area to cover their ears, but all were smiling. "

Originally posted by Jerry Entin Eddie Crawford did drive a Ferrari 290MM and his number was 14 in the Cuban race. And it was entered by Jan de Vroom. Paul O'Shea also drove a 290MM Ferrari in the Cuban race and it was entered by Temple Buel, his number was 18. They finished 8th and 9th. This was a 6 lap race.research provided by Willem Oosthoek.

Exact, you were just talking of 2 different 290 MMs: Temple Buell owned 0626 while the Jan de Vroom/Arents/Chinetti gang owned 0628. At Nassau, Buell somehow rented 0628 for Moss to drive (and win) while his own 0626 was entrusted to Bonnier. At Cuba O'Shea drove Buell's 0626 (#18) while Crawford (#14) had de Vroom's

George Reed was driving a Ferrari race car to Elkhart Lake. He was going down the back country roads at like 100 mph. All of a sudden a local policeman sees him zooming by. He chases George and pulls him over. He walks up to the car and says lets see your drivers license. George pulls out a Nassau drivers license. This was something when you were in Nassau if you went into a magistrates office and gave them a few dollars they issued you one. The policeman says you mean you are from Nassau. George says ya man I be from Nassau. The officer says don't they have any speed limits there. Gerorge says well man in de town is about 35, but in de country is wide open brother. The Policeman says didn't you see the speed limit signs. George says no man I didn't see no signs. The Policeman lets George go with the warning that in the country the speed is 55mph.

George Reed was quite a race driver in his days. Yet, in spite of appearances in ten Sebring 12 Hours and two LeMans 24 Hours, plus many entries at Road America, the Nassau Speed Week and other tracks in North America, Reed seems to be a driver largely forgotten. This is the reason why I would like to show the members of the forum the cars of and the man George Reed from Midlothian, Illinois, where he ran RRR Enterprises. RRR stood for Reed's Racing Rats. His favored race number was 95. It was at the suggestion of Willem Oosthoek that I have started this site.

George Reed's date of birth is unknown to me. His first race that I know of was in January of 1956 with a Mercedes-Benz 300 SL, on frozen Silver Lake of all places. Sebring followed in March, again aboard a 300SL. He returned there each year until 1966. In January 1959 George Reed became a subdealer to Luigi Chinetti, followed in November of 1962 by a Shelby Cobra dealership. Not surprisingly, most of the rides he had were Ferraris, followed by Cobras in his final years as a competitor. George Reed's last major race was Sebring in 1965, where he suffered a concussion after crashing Dan Gerber's Cobra on oil left by a competitor.

Unless otherwise indicated all photos posted are courtesy of Richard Macon,who received them from the family of John Miller. Over time John Miller was the expert mechanic of George Reed and, after he moved to Texas, of Alan Connell and Richard Macon. As they say "Let the ride back in time begin."

Jerry et al:
I think we've never met, Jerry, but I can contribute a few things about several posts regarding George Reed that may help clear up some discrepancies. I was one of the group of Reed's Race Rats that accompanied George to many of the races back in the late '50s and early '60s so I know some of what I speak.
1. Post No. 16: The pink car pictured is not a 356 Porsche Speedster but a 550 Spyder.
2. Post No. 17: Pictured in the car is NOT George and John Miller but George and C J Habich
3. Post No. 35: The TdF Ferrari was not known as a Europa. The Europa and Elena were closely related to each other - one being referred to as a "high
roof" and the other a "Low Roof" I forget which is which but that's easy to research.
If I knew how to do it I would attach a photo of the Ferrari LWB California that I took at the 1960 Sebring race where George finished 5th overall. This is the car that sold last August at the Gooding auction in Monterey for $7.2Mil
I'd be interested to know the source of photos noted as from the John Miller Family Collection since John and I were close friends especially during his later years. Thanks very much..............Dale H Moody

I can remember looking at this car in the Mosport paddock, but can't remember the year - early sixties at a Players 200 race? I thought it unusual that a Ferrari would have a Ford engine, but I believe this car was well past its prime in terms of being competitive.

Allan Ross and John Miller along side Allan Ross's immaculately prepared Lola. Richard Macon said that John Miller told him that after every race you should clean the entire car "Like your eating utensils, only cleaner." Allan Ross's Lola looks like that is what John Miller did to it. Gerald Swan the webmaster of the Lola site has told me that Alan Ross was the original U.S. Importer of Eric Broadley's Lola cars.photo lent site Richard Macon

Yes, Alan was the original importer of the Lola. Here is Al at Road America for the first time with the car. I still have a business card from the time when Al was selling the car. I met Al the first time he raced the Lola at Wilmot and he beat J.C.Kilburn in the Lotus. I had a 1960 Blue VW with the Reeds Race Rats logo on the rear fender. Ron NelsonUploaded with ImageShack.us

Jerry et al: I think we've never met, Jerry, but I can contribute a few things about several posts regarding George Reed that may help clear up some discrepancies. I was one of the group of Reed's Race Rats that accompanied George to many of the races back in the late '50s and early '60s so I know some of what I speak. 1. Post No. 16: The pink car pictured is not a 356 Porsche Speedster but a 550 Spyder. 2. Post No. 17: Pictured in the car is NOT George and John Miller but George and C J Habich 3. Post No. 35: The TdF Ferrari was not known as a Europa. The Europa and Elena were closely related to each other - one being referred to as a "high roof" and the other a "Low Roof" I forget which is which but that's easy to research. If I knew how to do it I would attach a photo of the Ferrari LWB California that I took at the 1960 Sebring race where George finished 5th overall. This is the car that sold last August at the Gooding auction in Monterey for $7.2Mil I'd be interested to know the source of photos noted as from the John Miller Family Collection since John and I were close friends especially during his later years. Thanks very much..............Dale H MoodyDale: you and I must have crossed paths a number of times. I was in the Chicago Region and spent a lot of time at Wilmot and Road America. Got to know the whole bunch that raced a lot of G-mod cars (Ross, Berdie, J.C.Kilburn) and the rest. Here is a shot of George at Meadowdale. Also, for all of you if you have not been to my web site - www.classicvintagemotorsports.com take a look as there are a lot of shots there. A number of Geo. Reed if I recall. Regards, Ron Nelson

I am trying to track down any info on a 250GT Ferrari Ellena that was with George Reed in the early 60's. Does anyone know if there are still guys around who might remember details?

I don't remember George ever owning an Elena, but that doesn't mean he didn't. I am surprised at more than one thing about George (who I thought I knew pretty well back in the day) posted on this forum. You're not thinking of the Vignalle coupe (I think Jophn Lundin my have bought this from George).??..............Dale

I don't remember George ever owning an Elena, but that doesn't mean he didn't. I am surprised at more than one thing about George (who I thought I knew pretty well back in the day) posted on this forum. You're not thinking of the Vignalle coupe (I think Jophn Lundin my have bought this from George).??..............Dale

By an odd coincidence, I saw John and Judy Lundin twice in the past few days, and we briefly discussed Ferrari 212s (as I had owned a couple). John still has the 212 coupe he's owned for years and years. Did he buy it from George Reed? Vignale bodied very few if any 250s, and Ellena (as the successor to Boano, his father-in-law) didn't body a 212.

By an odd coincidence, I saw John and Judy Lundin twice in the past few days, and we briefly discussed Ferrari 212s (as I had owned a couple). John still has the 212 coupe he's owned for years and years. Did he buy it from George Reed? Vignale bodied very few if any 250s, and Ellena (as the successor to Boano, his father-in-law) didn't body a 212.

David

George definitely had a Vignale-bodied car (front fenders protruding beyond inside headlights like Jayne Mansfield. It was bronze. CJ Habich drove it to Elkhart Lake one year when we all stayed at the old Pine Point resort. This may have been '59 or '60 because I believe it was after I was discharged from the Army and I was driving my then-new '59 Porsche coupe (which I still have). After an evening of cook-out and considerable drinking by all of us, CJ missed a turn in the narrow, winding road at the resort and hit a tree with it. I was there.

I can remember looking at this car in the Mosport paddock, but can't remember the year - early sixties at a Players 200 race? I thought it unusual that a Ferrari would have a Ford engine, but I believe this car was well past its prime in terms of being competitive.

Robert Barg

I remember that car from around 70 - 72 at the tire store covered in dust with a for sale on it for $1200 or at least was under 2k

LWB Ferrari California Spyder on the left and on the right Ferrari 250 PF Coupe These were a pair of Ferrari's on display at the Chicago International Amphitheater in 1960, they are in the RRR display booth. At the time sticker list Price of the PF coupe was $12,400 and the LWB California Spyder was $1,000 more. George Reed was the Illinois and Wisconsin Ferrari Representative at this time.These Twins were models at the Chicago Auto Show in 1960The girls seemed to spend alot of time in the RRR Ferrari booth.

George Reed's pink Porsche 550RS Spyder #118 George Reed is driving in the regional SCCA races held at the Milwaukee Mile infield road course in 1956. That could be Bob Gary in the Arnolt Bristol in the shot from the backstretch.Another photo of George Reed's Porsche at Milwaukee in 1956

George Reed's Ferrari 375 Plus and his Ferrari TDF Coupe This photo was taken at Elkhart Lake in the paddock on the June 22-23 races held in 1958.

That is Pedro Mendez leaning on the Vignale Ferrari on the left, CJ Habich with his hands on his hips in the center and Barney Stuart on the right. All are now gone and were part of the original group of Reed's Race Rats.

The black Cadillac in the back was the tow car and was subsequently painted bright red.

Jerry, please have Dale Moody clarify his info with respect to the photo of the pink Porsche 550 Spyder two posts above. Perhaps the year of the race may be incorrect or it was a test session.

I have the entry list for the only SCCA Regional at the Fair Park in Milwaukee in 1956, May 20, to be exact. There is no entry listed for George Reed or a #118 Porsche Spyder. Further there is no listing for an Arnolt-Bristol #8 or a Bob Gary.

In addition, I was at that race (my very first race, but that it neither here nor there), and I certainly, at that young and impressionable age, would have noticed a pink Porsche Spyder. There was one Spyder present, a silver 550 for Fred Vetter.

It does look like Milwaukee; could it have been a private test session? Racing Sports Cars shows Reed racing a Porsche a couple times, but not at Milwaukee. I am curious as to when Mr. Moody took those photos.

That is a splendid photo of the Reed Ferraris at Road America. The big bruiser was a 375 Plus, with the engine enlarged a bit to 5.1 liters to fit in class B Mod. It was chassis 0392, with which Umberto Maglioli won the 1954 Carrera Panamericana.

The awards presentation after the 1957 Sebring 12 hour where George Reed raced a 300SL (#18) co-driven by Fred Windridge and owned by Charlie Kreisler, a New York Ford dealer - the largest in the U.S. at the time. Those on stage are from left to right: Alec Ullman on microphone, Reggie Smith, Charlie Kreisler, his wife and Fred Windridge and George Reed

Jerry, please have Dale Moody clarify his info with respect to the photo of the pink Porsche 550 Spyder two posts above. Perhaps the year of the race may be incorrect or it was a test session.

I have the entry list for the only SCCA Regional at the Fair Park in Milwaukee in 1956, May 20, to be exact. There is no entry listed for George Reed or a #118 Porsche Spyder. Further there is no listing for an Arnolt-Bristol #8 or a Bob Gary.

In addition, I was at that race (my very first race, but that it neither here nor there), and I certainly, at that young and impressionable age, would have noticed a pink Porsche Spyder. There was one Spyder present, a silver 550 for Fred Vetter.

It does look like Milwaukee; could it have been a private test session? Racing Sports Cars shows Reed racing a Porsche a couple times, but not at Milwaukee. I am curious as to when Mr. Moody took those photos.

That is a splendid photo of the Reed Ferraris at Road America. The big bruiser was a 375 Plus, with the engine enlarged a bit to 5.1 liters to fit in class B Mod. It was chassis 0392, with which Umberto Maglioli won the 1954 Carrera Panamericana.

Tom

Tom: Unfortunatyely I am in Arizona now and can't further research how I arrived at the 1956 date for the Milwaukee Mile infield road course pictures. They are definitely from that track and from a SCCA Regional event there; I didn't just pick 1956 out of the air but can't confirm how. Before coming to Arizona last week I had just completed going through some 4,000+ slides and these were among them. These photos were taken before Kodak began dating the month/year on the slide mounts so I must've marked them long ago, when I remembered (or at least THOUGHT I remembered) more about them. Before sending these to Jerry Entin, I too cheked the entry list for the Milw SCCA regional races in 1956 and came up with the same thing you did. Did you check 1957 prior to August of that year? It couldn't have been after mid-August because I was drafted into the military then and missed much for the next two years...........Dale

Hi Dale, welcome to the forum. It appears that we grew up in the same area, and we must have attended a number of the same races.

At any rate, I checked the program from the May 26, 1957, SCCA Regional at the Fair Park and alas, none of the cars pictured were listed. The only other SCCA Regional at the track that year was in September.

Perhaps a non-spectator drivers school or something of the like?

There was an SCCA Regional at the track in 1955, but while that was a year before I began attending races, a check of the entry list has the same results; no listing for the cars pictured.

Sometimes Kodak had date info on the edge of the transparency itself. Perhaps that may be the case and provide the answer.

Hi Dale, welcome to the forum. It appears that we grew up in the same area, and we must have attended a number of the same races.

At any rate, I checked the program from the May 26, 1957, SCCA Regional at the Fair Park and alas, none of the cars pictured were listed. The only other SCCA Regional at the track that year was in September.

Perhaps a non-spectator drivers school or something of the like?

There was an SCCA Regional at the track in 1955, but while that was a year before I began attending races, a check of the entry list has the same results; no listing for the cars pictured.

Sometimes Kodak had date info on the edge of the transparency itself. Perhaps that may be the case and provide the answer.

Tom

Tom: In those early days the Chicago MG Car Club put on a lot of races before SCCA assumed that role. The first one I can remember was a hill climb in Rockford in about 1955 where George ran his then-new 300SL (second such car imported to the US - #1 was for Briggs Cunningham) and Doc Carlson ran his Aston Martin DB2. Could it be this may have been an MGCC 1956 event?...........Dale

Tom: In those early days the Chicago MG Car Club put on a lot of races before SCCA assumed that role. The first one I can remember was a hill climb in Rockford in about 1955 where George ran his then-new 300SL (second such car imported to the US - #1 was for Briggs Cunningham) and Doc Carlson ran his Aston Martin DB2. Could it be this may have been an MGCC 1956 event?...........Dale

Did some forther digging into historical data available through http://www.racingsportscars.com/ and the only evidence (other than my own) that the pink 550 pics were from the 20 May, 1956 SCCA Regional race at Milwaukee is the #114 Triumph TR2 in the one picture. There was a TR2 entered by Tom Fowler in the EP race that day. Although the #6 Arnolt Bristol in the background of that photo, is not mentioned anywhere in the entry list or results, the numerically low number leads me to wonder if it could have been Wacky Arnolt himself driving it. It could have been before Bob Gary began driving for him. That's about all I can come up with.............Dale

Yes, it certainly is puzzling! On July 1, 1956, the MG Car Club ran a spectator race at the Milwaukee Fair Park. I was there and have the program, but once again strike out on matching cars pictured with the program and my memory. Perhaps it was a non-spectator club event at the track some other time that year?
Tom

Yes, it certainly is puzzling! On July 1, 1956, the MG Car Club ran a spectator race at the Milwaukee Fair Park. I was there and have the program, but once again strike out on matching cars pictured with the program and my memory. Perhaps it was a non-spectator club event at the track some other time that year?Tom

Tom:Puzzling indeed! The only still-living Reeds Race Rats are me and Lindy Willis and I believe Lindy wasn't along that time at Milwaukee so I'm sure he would be of no help. I am still in frequent contact with Lindy however. One thing I did notice on searching the archives, was that there is a paucity of reliable information on entrants, car numbers, finishing positions etc. And why should there be? None of us were keeping track of that sort of thing as well as car serial numbers and the like. All I can say to all this is that I know I was there for whatever the race-occasion was; I took the picture myself with my Leica IIIF and I only attended one other event held on the road course at the Milwaukee Mile. That other time Berk Charvoz drove his ex-Fred Wacker J2X Allard to and from the races from Flossmoor where he and his, then, wife, Dody, lived. The weather turned cold and rainy and Berk drove back to Flossmoor in near-snow conditions with Charles Harrell as co-driver. I am out of further ideas, at least for now............Dale

I took a look at my programs from 1956-57 for Milwaukee, and the only listing that I saw for Berkely Charvoz in an Allard was for the June 1, 1956, MG Car Club race. Of course, he very well could have been there for other event(s), as a program printed in advance is not the most reliable source. I do remember seeing him race his Allard at the track, but to be honest cannot tell you if it was the 6-1-56 event or another.

I took a look at my programs from 1956-57 for Milwaukee, and the only listing that I saw for Berkely Charvoz in an Allard was for the June 1, 1956, MG Car Club race. Of course, he very well could have been there for other event(s), as a program printed in advance is not the most reliable source. I do remember seeing him race his Allard at the track, but to be honest cannot tell you if it was the 6-1-56 event or another.

Tom

Tom:I checked the historical weather for Milwaukee for Saturday, 2 June, 1956 and although there is no reported rainfall that day, the high temperature was only 51 degrees and the low was 39. Sunday was a little warmer though not by much but also no precipitation recorded. The first of June that year was a Friday..........Dale

Another fascinating photo! Can you identify the red car on the track next to Reed? Looks like a Ferrari from 1954 or so. Also, where was this taken? Looks like a oval track with road course attached, judging from the grandstands and shape of the track. Must have been around 1956 or maybe 57 based on the MG A and Corvette in the photo. Also, take a look at the white Porsche Speedster, number 26. That is Carl Haas!